1. National Grid ESO plans £58 billion investment in electricity networks for clean energy connections.
2. Proposal aims to address bottlenecks in the electricity network and forecasted growth in power demand to 2035.
3. Plan includes new infrastructure for onshore and offshore wind power, with potential to create and sustain over 20,000 jobs annually.
National Grid ESO has proposed a network upgrade plan that calls for £58 billion in direct investments to support the connection of clean assets and renewable energy sources. This plan is outlined in National Grid’s Beyond 2030 report, which aims to decarbonize the electricity system in Great Britain. The report highlights the need for increased investment in transmission capacity to address bottlenecks on the electricity network, given the significant growth in renewable energy generation.
The proposed network upgrade plan includes new infrastructure to connect onshore and offshore wind power, as well as solutions to optimize the location of flexible demand connections. Additionally, a new high-capacity electrical spine is recommended to run from Scotland to England, increasing accessibility to clean energy and improving the reliability of the network.
National Grid estimates a 64% growth in power demand by 2035 and aims to connect an additional 21GW of offshore wind power to the grid. This investment is expected to create over 20,000 jobs annually and support economic growth and a more cost-efficient energy system. The plan now awaits approval from the Government and Britain’s energy regulator, Ofgem, to move forward with the proposed upgrades.